


Everything Has Changed, Yet You Remain

by cassanabaratheon



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-29
Updated: 2012-08-29
Packaged: 2017-11-13 03:53:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/499167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassanabaratheon/pseuds/cassanabaratheon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the world was spinning madly by, she was the only one there ready to hold her hand to ground her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Everything Has Changed, Yet You Remain

**Author's Note:**

> For femme_slash_fan (lj) who requested Cora/Sarah with this prompt:
> 
> "So the years went by  
> I stayed the same  
> But she began to drift away  
> I was left alone  
> Still I waited for the day  
> When she'd say I will always love you"

The world was changing fast around her, shifting in ways she could not understand. New customs and fashions were learnt (but hardly practiced) and they crowded her mind, confusing her and she suddenly felt so old, unable to adapt to her surroundings, clinging to the past.

It had all be so simple then, in the past, with rules and clear outlines. Now things were merging and colliding and she no longer felt able to tell things apart. Everyone seemed to be able to change, swimming with the current tide but she kept finding herself thrown back again and again.

She pressed her fingers to her aching forehead, the dinner with Sybil and her husband had been an utter disaster. She loved her daughter dearly but sometimes she could not fathom her and her ideals. Of course the Dowager had not helped, even though they had all accepted the situation and made the best of it, she could not help but feel that her daughter purposely wanted to rile her grandmother.

She glanced up sharply (a foolish mistake as pain shot behind her eyes) as a teacup was placed by her along with some medicine she took to relieve her headaches. She had not even complained about the pain but somehow her maid had known – just as she always did. She graced her with a small smile and watched her fondly move around the room.

When the world was spinning madly by, she was the only one there ready to hold her hand to ground her. She had long since realised that (although she never actually admitted it out loud) this woman meant more to her than even her own husband. She could not explain it but her heart seemed to seize every time she touched her, every time she gave her a rare smile that she knew she did only for her and every time she looked at her with eyes that wanted to say so much though her mouth remained silent.

So overwhelmed by her own emotions, she tried to put some distance between them but with every curt word, every dismissive nod or wave of her hand, her heart sunk as she saw a flicker of hurt in her eyes. She turned her head over her shoulder a little, seeing her hesitate near the door about to leave and just as she opened it, Cora stood up abruptly. Facing her, her mask crumbling through tears and yearning, she simply said her name and watched her close the door, dropping the clothes that were for cleaning and mending in her arms and crossed to her, gathering her in those safe arms.

She sobbed against her, clinging on, trying to press together their bodies as much as possible. The pain in her head thumped in time with her wildly beating heart and she took in great gulps of air, trying to calm herself as she felt her hands stroke down her back, her arms, her hair, constantly murmuring words to her.

Through her tears and pain, she reached up to cup her face and brushed her lips over hers gently once, twice and then settled on the third. Her heart swelled in her chest as she felt her kiss her back and she half laughed and half cried.

"I feared that I had waited too long," Cora breathed shakily moving her head against her fingers which caressed her cheek.

"I would wait still, milady," Sarah smiled faintly and Cora laughed a little. To hell with it all, she thought as she gently entwined their hands together. At least in her world now it was quiet and calm with Sarah grounding her as they moved with their own tide.


End file.
